Chapter 42
Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties
कालधर्मम् गते राम सगरे प्रकृती जनाः
राजानम् रोचयामासुर् अंशुमन्तम् सुधार्मिकम्
kāladharmam gate rāma sagare prakṛtī janāḥ
rājānam rocayāmāsur aṃśumantam sudhārmikam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"When King Sagara passed away owing to the irrefutable virtue of Time, the ministers and subjects of that kingdom are predisposed towards the highly honourable Amshuman to become their king and they enthroned him accordingly." Thus Vishvamitra continued narration about the predecessors of Rama. [1-42-1]
स राजा सुमहान् आसीत् अंशुमान् रघुनंदन
तस्य पुत्रो महान् आसीत् दिलीप इति विश्रुतः
sa rājā sumahān āsīt aṃśumān raghunaṃdana
tasya putro mahān āsīt dilīpa iti viśrutaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"He that Amshuman turned out to be a very great king, and oh, Rama of Raghu's dynasty, he begot a marvellous son who is renowned as Dileepa. [1-42-2]
तस्मै राज्यम् समादिश्य दिलीपे रघुनंदन
हिमवत् शिखरे रंये तपः तेपे सुदारुणम्
tasmai rājyam samādiśya dilīpe raghunaṃdana
himavat śikhare raṃye tapaḥ tepe sudāruṇam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Assigning the kingdom to Dileepa, oh, Rama of Raghu's dynasty, Amshuman undertook very stern ascesis on a pleasant peak of Himalayas desiring the descent of River Ganga to earth. [1-42-3]
द्वा त्रिंशत् सहस्राम् वर्षाणि सुमहा यशाः
तपोवन गतो राजा स्वर्गम् लेभे तपोधनः
dvā triṃśat sahasrām varṣāṇi sumahā yaśāḥ
tapovana gato rājā svargam lebhe tapodhanaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"On practising ascesis in ascetic-woods for thirty-two thousand years that highly renowned king Amshuman achieved heaven as he acquired only the wealth of practising the ascesis. [1-42-4]
PURPORT
दिलीपः तु महातेजाः श्रुत्वा पैतामहम् वधम्
दुःख उपहतया बुद्ध्या निश्चयम् न अध्यगच्छत
dilīpaḥ tu mahātejāḥ śrutvā paitāmaham vadham
duḥkha upahatayā buddhyā niścayam na adhyagacchata
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"The great resplendent Dileepa on hearing the elimination of his grandfathers, the sixty thousand sons of Sagara at the hand of sage Kapila, and with a mind that is marred by the plight of his father Amshuman in absolving the souls of Sagara's sons, he that Dileepa could not arrive at any decision concerning the descent of Ganga. [1-42-5]
कथम् गंगा अवतरणम् कथम् तेषां जलक्रिया
तारयेयम् कथम् च एतान् इति चिंतापरो अभवत्
katham gaṃgā avataraṇam katham teṣāṃ jalakriyā
tārayeyam katham ca etān iti ciṃtāparo abhavat
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Dileepa became worried as to how River Ganga is to be alighted onto earth from heaven, how water-oblations are to be offered for the souls of Sagara's sons, and how to cross them, the souls, over this mortal world. [1-42-6]
तस्य चिंतयतो नित्यम् धर्मेण विदित आत्मनः
पुत्रो भगीरथो नाम जज्ञे परम धार्मिकः
tasya ciṃtayato nityam dharmeṇa vidita ātmanaḥ
putro bhagīratho nāma jajñe parama dhārmikaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"To him who is self-mortified and who is always thinking righteously about the alight of Ganga onto earth, to such a Dileepa a most-virtuous son is born who is renowned by his name Bhageeratha. [1-42-7]
दिलीपः तु महातेजा यज्ञैः बहुभिः इष्टवान्
त्रिंशत् वर्ष सहस्राणि राजा राज्यम् अकारयत्
dilīpaḥ tu mahātejā yajñaiḥ bahubhiḥ iṣṭavān
triṃśat varṣa sahasrāṇi rājā rājyam akārayat
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"That great-resplendent king Dileepa on his part performed numerous Vedic-rituals, and he ruled the kingdom for thirty thousand years - to the delight of each of his subjects, but could not find a way to fetch Ganga. [1-42-8]
अगत्वा निश्चयम् राजा तेषाम् उद्धरणम् प्रति
व्याधिना नर शार्दूल काल धर्मम् उपेयिवान्
agatvā niścayam rājā teṣām uddharaṇam prati
vyādhinā nara śārdūla kāla dharmam upeyivān
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, tigerly-man Rama, that king Dileepa by not attaining any choice towards the uplifting the souls of his grandparents to heaven by bringing Ganga to earth, he took to illness, and he attained the ultimate virtue of Time, namely the demise. [1-42-9]
इन्द्रलोकम् गतो राजा स्व अर्जितेन एव कर्मणा
रज्ये भगीरथम् पुत्रम् अभिषिच्य नरर्षभः
indralokam gato rājā sva arjitena eva karmaṇā
rajye bhagīratham putram abhiṣicya nararṣabhaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"That best one among men, namely king Dileepa, on anointing his son Bhageeratha in the kingdom went to the abode of Indra, namely the heaven, only by his self-acquired merits of deeds. [1-42-10]
भगीरथः तु राजर्षिः धार्मिको रघुनंदन
अनपत्यो महारजाः प्रजा कामः स च प्रजाः
bhagīrathaḥ tu rājarṣiḥ dhārmiko raghunaṃdana
anapatyo mahārajāḥ prajā kāmaḥ sa ca prajāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, Rama, the legatee of Raghu, but on his part that self-righteous and kingly-sage Bhageeratha is childless, and that great king longed-for offspring. [1-42-11]
मंत्रिषु आधाय तत् रज्यम् गङ्ग अवतरणे रतः
तपो दीर्घम् समातिष्ठत् गोकर्णे रघुनंदन
maṃtriṣu ādhāya tat rajyam gaṅga avataraṇe rataḥ
tapo dīrgham samātiṣṭhat gokarṇe raghunaṃdana
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Interested in the alighting of River Ganga on earth, oh, Rama, the descendent of Raghu, king Bhageeratha delegated his kingdom to the custody of his ministers and people and firmed up himself in sustained asceticism on Mt. Gokarna in Himalayas, and he practise ascesis standing amid five-fires, upraising his hands, with a monthly sustenance and with his sense conquered. [1-42-12, 13a]
PURPORT
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Thousands of years have rolled by while Bhageeratha stood practising his severe ascesis, oh, dextrous Rama, and then the lord and master of all beings, namely god Brahma, is well pleased with that great-souled king's ascesis. [1-42-13b, 14]
ततः सुर गणैः सार्धम् उपागंय पितामहः
भगीरथम् महात्मानम् तप्यमानम् अथ अब्रवीत्
tataḥ sura gaṇaiḥ sārdham upāgaṃya pitāmahaḥ
bhagīratham mahātmānam tapyamānam atha abravīt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Forefather Brahma then arrived along with assemblages of gods, and spoke this way to the great-souled Bhageeratha who is deep in the practise of ascesis. [1-42-15]
भगीरथ महाराज प्रीतः ते अहम् जनाधिप
तपसा च सुतप्तेन वरम् वरय सुव्रत
bhagīratha mahārāja prītaḥ te aham janādhipa
tapasā ca sutaptena varam varaya suvrata
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'Oh, great king Bhageeratha, oh, lord of the people, I am delighted with the perfectly conducted ascesis of yours, hence oh, truly committed one, you may beseech for a boon. [1-42-16]
तम् उवाच महातेजाः सर्वलोक पितामहम्
भगीरथो महाबाहुः कृत अंजलिपुटः स्थितः
tam uvāca mahātejāḥ sarvaloka pitāmaham
bhagīratho mahābāhuḥ kṛta aṃjalipuṭaḥ sthitaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"That great resplendent and highly fortunate king Bhageeratha then remaining with suppliantly adjoined palm fold spoke to him who is the Forefather of all worlds, namely Brahma. [1-42-17]
यदि मे भगवान् प्रीतो यदि अस्ति तपसः फलम्
सगरस्य आत्मजाः सर्वे मत्तः सलिलम् आप्नुयुः
yadi me bhagavān prīto yadi asti tapasaḥ phalam
sagarasya ātmajāḥ sarve mattaḥ salilam āpnuyuḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'Oh, god, if you are satisfied with my ascesis, and if there is any fruition to the ascesis of mine, let all the sons of Sagara get water oblations through me. [1-42-18]
गन्गायाः सलिल क्लिन्ने भस्मनि एषाम् महात्मनाम्
स्वर्गम् गच्छेयुर् अत्यंतम् सर्वे मे प्रपितामहाः
gangāyāḥ salila klinne bhasmani eṣām mahātmanām
svargam gaccheyur atyaṃtam sarve me prapitāmahāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'While the ashes of these great souls are drenched with the waters of Ganga, let all of those great-grandfathers of mine depart to heaven, eternally. [1-42-19]
देव याचे ह संतत्यै न अवसीदेत् कुलम् च नः
इक्ष्वाकूणाम् कुले देव एष मे अस्तु वरः परः
deva yāce ha saṃtatyai na avasīdet kulam ca naḥ
ikṣvākūṇām kule deva eṣa me astu varaḥ paraḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'Oh, god, I indeed pray for offspring in our Ikshvaku dynasty, let not our dynasty dwindle as I am issueless, and oh, god, let this be the other boon to me. [1-42-20]
उक्त वाक्यम् तु राजानम् सर्वलोक पितामहः
प्रत्युवाच शुभाम् वाणीम् मधुरम् मधुर अक्षराम्
ukta vākyam tu rājānam sarvaloka pitāmahaḥ
pratyuvāca śubhām vāṇīm madhuram madhura akṣarām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"The Forefather of all the worlds, Brahma, then replied the king who has spoken in that way, in an auspicious tongue that is sweet-sounding and sweetly worded, as well. [1-42-21]
मनोरथो महान् एष भगीरथ महारथ
एवम् भवतु भद्रम् ते इक्ष्वाकु कुल वर्धन
manoratho mahān eṣa bhagīratha mahāratha
evam bhavatu bhadram te ikṣvāku kula vardhana
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'Oh, top-speeded chariot-rider Bhageeratha, this aspiration of yours is sublime, and oh, the furtherer of Ikshvaku dynasty, so be it, let safeness betide you. [1-42-22]
इयम् हैमवती ज्येष्ठा गंगा हिमवतः सुता
ताम् वै धारयितुम् राजन् हरः तत्र नियुज्यताम्
iyam haimavatī jyeṣṭhā gaṃgā himavataḥ sutā
tām vai dhārayitum rājan haraḥ tatra niyujyatām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'This Ganga is the one with snow-broth, the elder daughter of Himavanta, and oh, king Bhageeratha, god Shiva alone is capable to sustain her force in the course of her alighting onto earth, and in fact, he is to be commissioned for that purpose. [1-42-23]
गंगायाः पतनम् राजन् पृथिवी न सहिष्यते
ताम् वै धारयितुम् राजन् न अन्यम् पश्यामि शूलिनः
gaṃgāyāḥ patanam rājan pṛthivī na sahiṣyate
tām vai dhārayitum rājan na anyam paśyāmi śūlinaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'Oh, king Bhageeratha, the earth cannot endure the downfall of Ganga and to sustain Ganga, oh, king, indeed I do not behold none other than the Trident-wielder, god Shiva.' Thus Brahma spoke to Bhageeratha. [1-42-24]
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे द्वि चत्वारिंशः सर्गः
iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe dvi catvāriṃśaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Speaking this way to the king Bhageeratha and informally greeting Ganga also, that Creator of Worlds, Brahma, left for heaven along with all the groups of gods and Wind-gods." Thus Vishvamitra continued narration about the arrival of River Ganga to earth. [1-42-25]
